Floor anchor



E. H. MARK FLOOR ANCHOR Filed 001;.

Oct. 26, 1965 INVENTOR.

EDWARD H MARK 9 ATTORNEYS FIGS United States Patent 3,213,580 FLOOR ANCHOR Edward Hi. Mark, South Bend, Ind, assignor to Interstate Industries Inc, Michigan City, lnrL, a corporation of lliinois Filed Get. 3, 1963, Ser. No. 313,464 4 Claims. (Cl. 52--292) This invention relates to movable partitions especially for use in subdividing office space, and more particularly to floor anchors therefor.

The use of movable partitions for subdividing a large work area into semiprivate work stations has become increasingly popular. These partition structures comprise a plurality of spaced posts between which are removably connected partition members which usually include at least a lower panel element fabricated from steel or the like, and may include an upper panel of glass and extend to a height of about six feet.

The posts are freestanding and the partition assemblies are self-supporting due to being arranged in L and T configurations. Occasionally, there are long freestanding runs and gate or door openings which should be braced laterally for greater stability and for this purpose, various types of floor anchors have been employed. These anchors are adapted to be bolted or otherwise rigidly affixed to the floor in order to brace their respective posts.

In all instances, the posts are provided with an adjustable foot or floor leveler in order to support the partitions in a level position regardless of variations in floor level, and with the floor anchors heretofore employed, it has been necessary to accommodate the adjustable leveling of the post supported by the anchor. The floor anchors heretofore in use have been cumbersome, heavy, expensive, unattractive in appearance and frequently are snagged by mops, brooms and the like during cleaning of the floor.

Having in mind the defects of the prior art structures, it is an object of the present invention to provide a floor anchor that is highly eificient and yet is simple in design, light in weight, inexpensive in construction, attractive in appearance and may be used with an ordinary post without alteration or modification of its adjustable foot or fioor leveler.

The novel features that are considered characteristic of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description of a specific embodiment when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures and in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary view in perspective of a post and panel assembly including a fioor anchor according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view in perspective similar to that of FIG. 1, but with the cover means of the floor anchor removed to show the assembly;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view in elevation of the end of the post panel assembly with a portion of the cover means in section to expose the interior construction;

FIG. 4 is a view in elevation of a side of the floor anchor in operative position with a portion of the cover means removed, and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 55 of FIG. 3.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, FIG. 1 shows a post which is removably connected with and supports a panel element 12, and whose foot portion is secured by a floor anchor 14 in accordance with the present invention. The lower edge of the panel 12 is usually Patented Get. 26, 1965 spaced above floor level and, as better shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a foot member 16 includes a stud 18 that is threaded into an internally threaded aperture 8 in the bottom wall 9 of the post for supporting the post at a selected height relative to the floor for leveling the partition assembly.

In the ordinary runs of a partition assembly, a sleeve is slidably mounted on the post to rest on the floor and enclose the foot 16 and conceal the space between the bottom of the post and the floor. The prior art floor anchors for the most part have required substitution of the foot 16 for a more complicated structure, and alteration of the base of the post to cooperate with such structures.

In accordance with the present invention, however, the floor anchor 14 comprises essentially two separate parts, namely a pair of angle brackets 20 and a pair of cover elements 22. The angle brackets 29 include one relatively short base branch 24 for engagement with the floor, and one side of the post 10. The brackets 20 and covers 22 are disposed in opposed relation on opposite sides of the post 10 to extend laterally of the plane of the panel 12, and thereby brace the partition assembly transversely of its run.

The base branch 24 of each bracket 20 is provided with a longitudinally disposed slot 28, while the upright branch 26 is similarly provided adjacent its upper end with a vertically extending slot 30. The post is provided with an opening 32 in each of its side Walls 11 at a given distance from its bottom wall 9. These openings 32 may be internally threaded for the reception of a bolt 34, or they may be ordinary aligned openings through which the bolt 34 may extend and be secured by a nut. In any event, a bolt 34 extends through the slot 30 in the upright branch of each angle bracket 20 and is secured to the post 10.

Obviously, if the bolt 34 extends completely through the post and is secured by a nut, it will also extend through the slot 30 of the opposed angle bracket 20. The slots 30 in the angle brackets 20 accommodate variations in the vertical adjustment of the post 10 by the foot 16. The base branches 24 of the angle brackets 20 are then rigidly secured to the floor by means of bolts 36 extending through the slots 28 and into bores B in the floor F, the slots 28 accommodating slight variations between the exact location of the bore in the floor and the post in order to enable accurate alignment of the post.

The angle brackets 29 serve to rigidly brace the post 10 laterally of the run of the partition assembly. The cover elements 22 then enclose the angle brackets both to provide a finished and attractive appearance and also to prevent the snagging of cleaning utensils and the like on the brackets and their bolts as well as around the post foot 16. The cover elements 22 comprise generally L-shaped shells of channel section open at their bottom and one side to straddle and enclose the brackets 20, respectively. These cover elements may be die cast preferably of zinc, but they may be formed of other materials such as aluminum.

The cover elements each include a foot portion or bottom branch 38 that is open at the bottom to straddle and overlie the base branch 24 of a bracket 20, and this foot portion is of suificient depth to cover the floor bolt 36. The cover elements also each include a leg or upright portion 40 that is open at the side opposite the foot portion 38 to straddle and overlie the upright branch 26 of the bracket 20. These cover elements each comprise an outer wall 42 extending continuously over both the foot and leg portions 38 and 4d, and side walls 44 that are common to both said portions.

The side walls 44 are spaced to snugly straddle and frictionally engage the side edges of the brackets 20 to be retained in position thereby. Preferably, the walls 44 are also provided on their inner sides with vertically spaced, horizontally disposed, inwardly extending ridges 46 of angular section and having inner edges that tend to cut or gouge into the side edge portions of the brackets 20 to secure the cover elements 22 in position.

Finally, the side walls 44 each are provided with a wing portion 48 at the bottom portion thereof and extending in opposite relation to the foot portion 38 of the cover element 22, the two wing portions 48 of each cover element being adapted to straddle the bottom portion of a post 10. The height of the wing portions 48 is sufficient to enclose the foot 16 and the bottom of the post subject to any normal variation in elevation of the post bottom, and the depth or width of the wing portions is equal to one half the thickness of the post 10 so that the respective wing portions of two cover elements 22 on the same side of a post it) will abut and completely enclose the bottom of a post and the area thereunder.

The operation and assembly of the floor anchor should be readily evident from the foregoing description. When erecting a partition assembly, the feet 16 of the posts 10 are adjusted to level the panels 12 and in the ordinary run of the assembly the feet 16 are enclosed by sleeves slidably mounted on the posts. At the locations where the posts require lateral bracing, the sleeve is omitted and the present floor anchor installed. Bores B are provided in the floor F for reception of the bolts 36 whereupon the brackets 20 are disposed against the opposite sides 11 of the post 10.

The upright branches 26 of the brackets 20 are aligned with the sidewalls 11 so that the bracket slots 30 register with the bolt holes 32 in the walls 11, and a bolt 34 is inserted through the respective slot 30 and hole 32. Bolts 36 are then inserted through the slots 28 in the base branches 24 of the brackets 20, and threaded into the bores B. The channel cover members 22 are then respectively pressed over each bracket 20 until the top edges of the covers engage the walls 11 and the inner edges of the wings 48 are in abutment. The cover side walls 44, frictionally engage, and the ridges 46 gouge into the side edges of the brackets 20 to retain the covers against accidental dislodgement.

Although a certain specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it is obvious that many modifications thereof are possible. The invention, therefore, is not to be restricted except insofar as is necessitated by the prior art and by the spirit of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A floor anchor for a portable partition post having an adjustable foot and aligned bolt holes in two opposite sides and spaced slightly above the bottom thereof, said floor anchor comprising a pair of angle brackets for respective positioning against the opposite sides of a post and each having a base branch with a bolt opening for attachment to the floor and an elongate upright branch having a vertically disposed slot for registration with one of the post bolt holes, in combination with a pair of L-shaped channel members open at the bottom and back, said channel members respectively overlying said brackets in assembly with the side walls of said members in frictional engagement with the sides of said brackets, and wings extending rearwardly from the bottom portions of the channel member side Walls for enclosing the foot and bottom of a post to which said brackets may be attached, said wings being of a height to overlie the bottom portion of the sides of such post at any normal elevation of such post, and of a depth equal to one half the depth of such post so that the rear edges of the wings on each side of such post abut and completely enclosed area beneath such post.

2. A floor anchor for a portable partition post having an adjustable foot and aligned bolt holes in two opposite sides and spaced slightly above the bottom thereof, said floor anchor comprising a pair of angle brackets for respective positioning against the opposite sides of a post and each having a base branch with a bolt opening for attachment to the floor and an elongate upright branch having a vertically disposed slot for registration with one of the post bolt holes, in combination with a pair of L-shaped channel members open at the bottom and back, said channel members respectively overlying said brackets in assembly with the side walls of said members in frictional engagement with the sides of said brackets, the side walls of said channel members having inwardly extending ridges for engaging the sides of said brackets to retain said channel members in position, and wings extending rearwardly from the bottom portions of the channel member side walls for enclosing the foot and bottom of a post to which said brackets may be attached, said wings being of a height to overlie the bottom portion of the sides of such post at any normal elevation of such post, and of a depth equal to one half the depth of such post so that the rear edges of the Wings on each side of such post abut and com pletely enclose the area beneath such post.

3. In combination with a portable partition post having an adjustable foot and aligned bolt holes in two op posite sides and spaced slightly above the bottom thereof, a floor anchor comprising a pair of angle brackets disposed against said opposite post sides and each having a base branch with a bolt opening for attachment to the floor and an elongate upright branch having a vertically disposed slot registering with one of the post bolt holes, and a pair of L-shaped channel members open at the bottom and back overlying said brackets with the side walls of said members in frictional engagement with the sides of said brackets, and wings extending rearwardly from the bottom portions of the channel member side walls and enclosing the bottom of said post and its foot, said wings being of a height to overlie the bottom portion of the sides of the post at any normal elevation of the post, and of a depth equal to one half the depth of the post with the rear edges of the wings on each side of the post abutting and completely enclosing the area beneath the post.

4. In combination with a portable partition post having an adjustable foot and aligned bolt holes in two opposite sides and spaced slightly above the bottom thereof, a floor anchor comprising a pair of angle brackets disposed against said opposite post sides and each having a base branch with a bolt opening for attachment to the floor and an elongate upright branch having a vertically disposed slot registering with one of the post bolt holes, and a pair of L-shaped channel members open at the bottom and back overlying said brackets with the side walls of said members in frictional engagement with the sides of said brackets, the side walls of said channel members having inwardly extending ridges for engaging the sides of said brackets to retain said channel members in position, and wings extending rearwardly from the bottom portions of the channel member side walls and enclosing the bottom of said post and its foot, said wings being of a height to overlie the bottom portion of the sides of the post at any normal elevation of the post, and of a depth equal to one half the depth of the post with the rear edges of the wings on each side of the post abutting and completely enclosing the area beneath the post.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,001,574 5/35 Jacobson l8934 3,108,664 10/63 Vawter 18942 RICHARD W. COOKE, JR., Primary Examiner. 

1. A FLOOR ANCHOR FOR A PORTABLE PARTITION POST HAVING AN ADJUSTABLE FOOT AND ALIGNED BOLT HOLES IN TWO OPPOSITE SIDES AND SPACED SLIGHTLY ABOVE THE BOTTOM THEREOF, SAID FLOOR ANCHOR COMPRISING A PAIR OF ANGLE BRACKETS FOR RESPECTIVE POSITIONING AGAINST THE OPPOSITE SIDES OF A POST AND EACH HAVING A BASE BRANCH WITH A BOLT OPENING FOR ATTACHMENT TO THE FLOOR AND AN ELONGATE UPRIGHT BRANCH HAVING A VERTICALLY DISPOSED SLOT FOR REGISTRATION WITH ONE OF THE POST BOLT HOLES, IN COMBINATION WITH A PAIR OF L-SHAPED CHANNEL MEMBERS OPEN AT THE BOTTOM AND BACK, SAID CHANNEL MEMBERS RESPECTIVELY OVERLYING SAID BRACKETS IN ASSEMBLY WITH THE SIDE WALLS OF SAID MEMBERS IN FRICTIONAL ENGAGEMENT WITH THE SIDES OF SAID BRACKETS, AND WINGS EXTENDING REARWARDLY FROM THE BOTTOM PORTIONS OF THE CHANNEL MEMBER SIDE WALLS FOR ENCLOSING THE FOOT AND BOTTOM OF A POST TO WHICH SAID BRACKETS MAY BE ATTACHED, SAID WINGS BEING OF A HEIGHT TO OVERLIE THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE SIDES OF SUCH POST AT ANY NORMAL ELEVATION OF SUCH POST, AND OF A DEPTH EQUAL TO ONE HALF THE DEPTH OF SUCH POST SO THAT THE REAR EDGES OF THE WINGS ON EACH SIDE OF SUCH POST ABUT AND COMPLETELY ENCLOSED AREA BENEATH SUCH POST. 